Proposed Windmills visible from Dolly So ds

“Geo – Your are within your rights to protest even if your house is lighted like a casino. All sides of any issues need to be discussed, even the loony one. NO, I am not saying you’re loony. I have never seen the place and if I did I may agree with you. My point was not meant to be personal but general. I love the wilderness but am willing to put up with seeing roads from the top of a mountain because without that road I would never be able to get to the mountain. I would also not have the wood for my house and other things.

The best way to get the mills not there is to provide another, better location. Arguing against them anyplace anytime will be seen as loony. I hope the conservation groups will take that view. I like the Idea of putting them where the power is used. It’s better than importing the power and exporting the problems.”

“I think the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy has already developed a stance on wind power. If I understand from reading between the posts on the issue, they were able to mitigate the placement of another project nearby so that it was not overly visible from areas within the national forest. And in my discussions with them on this issue I pointed out, as I did on at least one of my posts above, that placement north of where the existing power plant stands would pretty much take them out of the picture.

I have certainly not argued against wind power per se, nor would I. Except for visual blight, it's clean and productive so long as the wind blows. I don't like them any more than I like cell phone towers, but there are also no cell phone towers within immediate view of the Dolly Sods. We did see a slew of them on our recent Delaware Water Gap hike, and Blue Mountain probably has more communications towers along its length in Pa than any other mountain ridge in the world. The trail is constantly re-routed downhill around them to my consternation. But Blue Mountain is not a wilderness area or even close to one.

The WVADOT rerouted the Corridor H Trans-Appalachian highway well to the north of the existing power plant into an area already occupied by exploited strip mines. That is compatible in the sense that it is well away from the national forest. It was routed around other cultural and natural areas so as not to interfere with the spirit of the place. That, I would submit, was responsible development, although I still question the need for the highway. But they are building it and doing it in a way that does not interfere with existing cultural and natural areas, and I am thankful for that.

I've done what I can do for the moment to either fight or mitigate this proposal, and I will continue to do whatever I can to protect a place that offers haven from this crazy society. It's not a fight for or against development; it's a fight for responsible development.”

“but when you think about it, if this is the stuff of the future, these things are gonna be as common as phone poles sometime and eventually you're not gonna see them as "green", you're just gonna see em as a telephone pole.

i think we need to try to keep our wildernesses as wild as possible, even if it means fighting this stuff jsut because it's near the wilderness. it would definitely take away from that view to have a windmill field running down for 2 miles.
if there was no other place suitable my opinion might be swayed but like the guy said he looked on the map and saw the name of the place. it was the first place he found, it's not like he was searching forever and ever adn this is all he could come up with.

i do find my stance on this a little weak because im all for windpower but it seems like doing it here would be going halfway with the idea. if its being done to be friendlier to the environment then why put it in an obtrusive location? on the other hand it does come down to money and this company wants to make it.”

“Sir,

I am extremely concerned that your proposed Mount Storm windmill project, as it was outlined in the online edition of The Grant County Press, would be visually unattractive to visitors to Bear Rocks, a unique viewpoint along the Allegheny Front. This area is on the northwest tip of the Dolly Sods area, the watershed to the south of the location of your proposed project. That area is a popular tourism site, and the entire area of the Dolly Sods is currently managed as wilderness and undeveloped land by the Monongahela National Forest. I would submit that 200-foot high wind turbine towers would be incompatible with that kind of forestry management. Bear Rocks itself is owned by the Nature Conservancy. It is a unique geological and biological preserve.

I am concerned because the article indicates that your development would begin at Stack Rocks, a geological formation along the Allegheny Front that is clearly visible from Bear Rocks, and extend from there northward. I, for one, do not care to see a line of windmills along that ridge.

I can tell you that from the area of the existing Mount Storm power plant northward the windmills would not be quite as obtrusive to visitors to Bear Rocks. While the stacks of the power plant are indeed visible from Bear Rocks, they are not oppressive and some do not even notice them.

I would hope that you would modify your plans in order to mitigate the potential for visual blight from one of the crown jewels of natural areas in our region. I would hope that you would do so in the interests of allowing what is essentially a natural area to remain so, just as the West Virginia Department of Transportation took such considerations into account in routing the Corridor H highway project currently under construction. I would also hope that you would work cooperatively with the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy, the Monongahela National Forest, and other groups to assure those of us who use the area for recreation and viewing nature that we will not have to stand at Bear Rocks and see a line of huge windmills running off into the distance.

If you have not already done so, may I suggest that you visit Bear Rocks and see the view of which I speak for yourself? I think you will see what I'm talking about and why I am concerned. Stack Rocks is less than a mile from Bear Rocks.

Would you please keep my email address and inform me when the visual impact graphics are available? I would like very much to see them.

Sincerely”

“But....I applaude your efforts to stand up for your rights.

As Bob Marley would say..."Get up, stand up...you gotta stand up for your rights", and you have stood up and may now be counted as a rebel...

Way to Go!!!”

“Oh, I've raised a ruckus. This one won't easily die out. I doubt they'll get built anytime soon, and the projected date to begin construction in 2003 is probably overly optimistic.

Build it away from the Sods and I have no problem with it, in fact would support it. Build it across the street from where I live next to the cell phone tower for all I care, but not in view of the Sods.”

“i know there's gotta be wind somewhere else, right?
dont' get me wrong, at least it's better than oil rigs but still, better to speak up now than when they've been there so long they're "normal"”

“I had emailed Jonathan Jessup, and just got a reply from him suggesting they put it in the Midwest where there's plenty of wind and no mountains.”

“What about the noise pollution from the windmills..i hear that they are LOUD as hell...if this was already brought up..sorry..didn't feel like reading all the bickering..lmao”

“Way to fight the man, Geobeet! It's great they're utilizing windpower, but you're right, sounds like it's the wrong area.”

“The company has been working locally with Dan Hope, Icky Hyre, Duke McDaniel and John VanMeter to obtain property easements. Hyre and Hope also prepared a video to provide landowners information about turbine appearance and noise levels. He said turbines are quiet, with no sound heard a half-mile away.”

“Mess wid da Sods, man, ya mess wid me! Yeah!”

“West Virginia Highlands Conservancy lawyers will be gearing up for this one by tomorrow is my guess. They already went through this once for another proposal, so it's not like they have to sit down and figure it out from scratch. My guess is that an agreement will be hammered out to mitigate the things out of eyesight of Bear Rocks, which would make me happy. These people are hard core, but reasonable.”

“This same issue is happening where I live. A British company wants to put windmills on the hilltops here, near Waymart and the locals went ballistic trying to stop them. All is pretty much said and done the last I heard. After a lot of fighting the windmills are going to be built.”

“In addition to what happened yesterday, Jonathan Jessup copied me on a letter he sent to Niessen. He basically told him to take his project anywhere by the mountains of West Virginia. Hard to believe somebody is more hard core than me, but Jonathan would be. It's almost his home.”

“Would it be outrageous to suggest that Geobeet is an agent for Saudi oil interests?”

“All worried about a few birds chopped up by a windmill but not a word about those poor miners nearly killed in Pennsylvania. Where are your priorities man?”

“Hey, those miners have it made. If I'da only known, one elevator ride, a few days of being wet and cold, ... instantly rich!”

“Having hiked through miles of windmill farms along the PCT - I know they will affect the wilderness experience. They are huge, and roads have to be built to each one. The noise was there, but not really oppressive. At the same time, I would rather see windmills than coal mines -- especially the kind of strip the top off the mountain mining they are doing now. Those are really destructive to the environment - no matter what the Administration tries to say.”

“WE got 69 posts on this subject on this board, generally exploring the various facets of the proposal, pro and con. On the other board I got one response. Maybe I should have posted it under a question like "Do your boots get scuffed when they scrape against rocks?"”

“A worthy battle. Keep up the good work Geobeet.
As a former journalist I have a suggestion, if it hasn't already been done.

Take the story and the court battle to the local newspapers, magazines, radio etc. Make sure people know about the fight and are educated on both sides of the issue.

The media is a powerful tool.

Might also try notifying a national newspaper or magazine. It's worth a shot. If you can't find anyone interested in the issue. Write the story yourself and submit it as a letter to the editor or a guest column. Trust me someone will publish it. The media loves a good ruckus.

Hey, maybe I'll see your fight on the nightly news!”

“The story I posted was from the local newspaper in WVa. The folks in Grant County see it as a tax windfall, which it will prove not to be. The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy will undoubtedly stir up some publicity on their own once they decide on the course of action to take. I'm trying to stay in the email loop to stay abreast of what's happening. At this point they are trying to mobilize and decide strategy.

I'm a journalist myself, but I'd rather not get involved personally in that aspect of it. My publication is a local one in the Philly area, so it's outside the realm of our paper. I may tip off the Charleston paper and the Washington Post.

The Sierra Club seemed less than interested. I still have not heard back from the West Va. Chapter of the Nature Conservancy.

Still, things are moving. It looks at this point like an uphill fight and a dire need to act quickly, neither of which go together.”

“Next, perhaps they could build some giant condensers to store power for the windless days.

I do my part here in Florida. I have not used a home a/c for two years. (I have 3 window units.) However, I do use electric fans.”

“The Monongahela National Forest does not seem to care about this issue. The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy does care and is getting ready to fight. It will probably be touch and go.

I have not heard back from the Nature Conservancy, which owns Bear Rocks, or any of the others to whom I mailed the story.”

“I just talked with Peter Schoenfeld of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. They are gearing up to work toward moving these windmills to a less obvious location and one more amenable to migrating birds.

I sent him photos of three locations where the windmills would be highly visible: two from Bear Rocks and one from Cabin Mountain on the eastern Continental Divide. He asked me to shoot some photos from Raven Ridge, the boundary for the National Forest, on my trip to the Sods last week.

Meanwhile, a second group is proposing a windmill farm for the same general area.

The effort will be to move the windmills to the north of the existing power plant in the area where West Virginia Corridor H will cross the plateau. This would mitigate the visual blight from Dolly Sods. I would consider that a major win for those of us who love our Sods.

Wind power yes, but not at any price.”

“I'm going to the Sods next week, not last week. Can't tell whether I'm coming or going!”

“I've emailed the good people at NedPower with the URL to your 'Pscho Squirrel' thread. They thanked me and plan to totally discredit you.”

“I'm the least of their worries at the moment. The WVHC are some powerful people. I'll have to post the email I got back from Niessen - a masterful PR stroke .... NOT!”

“Thank you for your Email and interest in our project.

As you probably know, wind energy is (finally) catching on in the US (4,300 MW aggregate installed capacity by year-end 2001) (compared with almost 18,000 MW in Europe). Wind energy is generally recognized as a very clean and desirable source of energy and it is strongly supported by Democrats, Republicans and environmental groups. In fact, there are currently strong congressional efforts to increase the use of renewable energy, particularly wind energy. The NedPower Mount Storm project hopes to make a significant contribution towards that goal.

We are proud of our efforts to involve the community in the development of our projects. Your comments will help us in creating a long-term partnership with the people of Grant County and the State of West Virginia.

Kind regards.

Jerome.”

“Sounds like he was really moved by your email, and is carefully considering your suggesions.

;)”

“"strongly supported by Democrats, Republicans and environmental groups"



Probably recognized you for the lunatic you are.
;)”

“Well he might have been a tad premature when he said environmental groups. The one that opposes it will be his worst nightmare, and any that support him really don't understand the geographical issue.”

“And dontcha just love the way he responds to my specific concerns? What a guy!”

“The photos just went off the the Charleston WV newspaper.”

“Just wait till NedPower gets the local tv station to run the video of you chasing a squirrel around your backyard.”

“You could find yourself destrung over this Vi!”

“Why do I get the feeling I just figured out the real identity of Psycho Squirrel? Hmmmmmmm!”

“I am not every personality on this board. I think I already identified PS as bitpusher. Too easy.”

“Both wrong.”

“Wanna try again?”

“I am not Psycho Squirrel.”

“PS, as your attorney, I advise you to drop this line of questioning immediatley!”

“Hopeless. The frgn squirrel is everywhere. And his seedy arsed lawyer in the dumpy suit, too! The only tomato raiding squirrel in the world with a lawyer for a pet!”

“Dear Mr. Niessen,

Thank you for responding to my email, but I must say you have failed to address the concerns I enumerated.

You have claimed in a number of public forums that your proposed project would not be visible from any public viewing areas. This is far from true.

Bear Rocks and Stack Rocks along the Allegheny Front are owned by the Nature Conservancy and open to the public. Both are just south of the southern limits of your proposed project, as outlined to the Grant County Commissioners. Both are heavily visited by hikers, campers, backpackers, birders, nature photographers, and nature lovers. They are geologically and naturally unique microenvironments that have been preserved from development. The towers would ruin the view from both of these places.

The Monongahela National Forest, the crown jewel in West Virginia's natural areas, is located just south of the project area. Part of the plateau there is taken up by the Dolly Sods Wilderness, a congressionally declared wilderness, and the Dolly Sods Scenic area, set aside by the U.S. Forest Service as a unique natural area. Much of the remaining area on the plateau south of the eastern continental divide is either managed as wilderness or proposed for inclusion within the national forest. Both logging and mining are excluded in this area.

Your project, if developed, would be highly visible from Cabin Mountain, the eastern continental divide, Raven Ridge, and other high points within the national forest down to and including Roaring Plains.

I spent the past week camping on the Dolly Sods and hiked through much of the area, including Raven Ridge, Cabin Mountain, and around Bear Rocks. This is a beautiful and pristine region with expansive views. Although the Mount Storm power plant, 14 miles distant, is visible on clear days, it is at a remote distance. Placing wind turbines closer than that point would over-power the views.

I must tell you that my enjoyment of these wild places this past week was tempered by the realization that the view could be marred by your towers. I must also tell you that I am extremely unhappy over that prospect. I urge you, in the interest of the many people who come to enjoy their national forest in all its natural glory, to modify your proposal and place the towers north of the existing power plant. My support of wind power is tempered by my feeling that natural lands are being encroached upon from every side and the realization that we must fight to protect them from unseemly development. I will fight you, sir, every step of the way if this project is built in such a way as to dominate the view from an area that is dear to me, and to countless others.

On any weekend you can drive up to the Dolly Sods. You will see a large number of cars parked at the parking lot near Bear Rocks and throngs of people walking and climbing them, picking blueberries, hiking, taking photos, looking at migratory birds, or just lounging. Farther south along the forest road you will find the trailhead for the wilderness area filled with cars of hikers and backpackers. Red Creek Campground will also be filled to capacity on most weekends.

Further, the Allegheny Front is a migratory flyway. Volunteers band songbirds along the front and count migrating raptors. I have strong concerns over placement of windmills that could interfere with migratory routes. I would urge you to contact the Allegheny Front Migratory Observatory, or you could visit them yourself. They operate from a rock outcropping accessible from a gravel path from the parking lot just north of the Red Creek Campground from Aug. 10 to Oct. 10, 7-11 a.m. every day. Some of those people have strong concerns over your proposal.

I suggest you pay a visit to these areas and see for yourself the impact your proposal would have on these natural places. They are precious. They are beautiful. They are loved and used by countless people. If you would state that your project would not be visible from public areas, you must go there and see for yourself that your statement is clearly erroneous.

I urge you to modify your proposal in the interest of the public welfare and concern over the dwindling parcels of wild lands available in our crowded east coast. I urge you to locate all of your towers north of the existing Mount Storm Power Plant, and site them in such a way as to minimize the visual impact on the public lands I have enumerated in this message.

By so doing you will garner significantly more public support for your project and for wind power in general.”

“Break a leg, dood.


oops! I mean...”

“the play would be a definite hit!”

“This is the website for the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy's windmill page. The photos are ones I sent them. The site gives an overview of the area affected and the views that would be affected. Additionally, I photographed views from Raven Ridge last Monday. When the photos are developed and scanned, I will send them off to these good folks.

http://www.wvhc.drw.net/AllegWind/”

“It would be helpful if labels were inserted into the photos to show the proposed windmill location.”

“Windmills would run just under the ridge on the near horizon of the first photo, the view from Cabin Mountain. Good point though. I'll pass it on to the folks at WVHC (which will soon include me).”

“LOL, Violin!!

good going, Geo :-)”